It was like groundhog day when West Ham United co-owner David Sullivan addressed fans following another disappointing transfer window.
West Ham have turned a corner under David Moyes in what has been another rocky season flirting with relegation.
The Hammers are not out of the woods yet but look likely to preserve their Premier League status after reaching 30 points with the impressive 2-0 win over Watford last time out.
For supporters, though, that achievement will be very much in spite of Sullivan, fellow co-owner David Gold and unpopular vice-chairman Karren Brady.
After another miserable transfer window failure in January and with the club just three points off the bottom three fans were revolting.
A win has dispersed some of the dark clouds for now but the fans are unbending and plan a major protest march next month to make their feelings unequivocally clear.
The majority feel betrayed by the two David’s and Brady over broken promises with regards transfer spending, ambition and the move to the former Olympic Stadium.
And they have wised up to Sullivan’s soundbites too.
Almost exactly a year after publicly pleading with fans to stick with him after a dismal transfer window, Sullivan was at it again.
Speaking to fans via a staged interview on the club’s official website Sullivan once again promised supporters to stick with the club as he tries to get it right in the transfer market.
A complete overhaul of the club’s recruitment policy and methodology was pledged as Sullivan begged for unity.
What he wasn’t banking on was just how United the fan base is, against the broken rhetoric of which they have grown fed up.
This summer only actions can start to repair the damage done to the relationship between the supporters and owners, words are no longer enough.
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